Friday, October 20, 2006

The UN's IRIN news service reports on the August collapse of a bridge on the road that linked the key southeastern Guinean city of N'Zérékoré with most of the rest of the country. The bridge was less than a decade old.

Monday, October 16, 2006

FOG's own Jamaica Corker has an interesting article in the National Peace Corps Association's Worldview magazine on polygamy. The article explores the dynamics within polygamous families and tries to answer the question, "Can polygamy create child-bearing competition?"

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

The uncertain health of Guinean leader Gen. Lansana Conté has made news again. The head of state failed to make his usual speech to state radio and television on the 48th anniversary of the country's independence.

The BBC notes: Guinea's opposition says [Presidential Affairs Minister Fodé] Bangoura has in effect taken over the running of the country with President Conte too sick to take much of an active role.

A public spat recently erupted between Bangoura and the country's most powerful businessman El Hadj Mamadou Sylla, who is seen as the main financial backer of the ruling PUP party.

Though Conté did not mkae a speech to the broadcast media, he did send a transcript of comments to the state newspaper Horoya. The country's only daily printed his remarks but failed to published the general's photograph. This transgression got the paper's general manager and editor suspended by the information minister.